Iconic 90s boyband brutally snubbed by ex-manager Simon Cowell ahead of huge reunion tour
THEY are set to head off on a reunion tour – 24 years after bust-ups and a shock split nearly tore them apart for good.
But sitting down for a chat with Biz on Sunday at our HQ in London, Five lads Jason “J” Brown, Abz Love, Ritchie Neville, Sean Conlon and Scott Robinson have promised to tame their wild ways.
It seems Simon Cowell, who helped put the band together in 1997, is not feeling the love, though, after they announced their Keep On Movin’ Tour will kick off at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena in October.
But the band are not letting that put them off their stride.
Ritchie said: “Out of courtesy, we let him know that we were reforming — like, ‘Hey by the way . . . ’.”
Scott added: “He hasn’t replied, but do you know what?
“He is a very, very busy man, so I’m sure he will at some point. If he wants to come to a show . . . ”
Referencing Five’s 1999 hit If Ya Gettin’ Down, Ritchie added: “He can get on down!”
And he said of Simon: “He was already a massive success, just not a famous one, when he signed us.
“We wish him well, he is doing his thing.”
Sean said: “He was a huge part of what we did.
“He wasn’t the celebrity he is now, as Rich just said, but he was an incredible A&R [talent scout].
“He really helped us to formulate our albums, our sounds, chose the producers, the songwriters, put everything together and, you know, he did a great job.”
And Ritchie added: “We do thank him for that.”
Simon revealed on last year’s BBC documentary Boybands Forever — produced by Louis Theroux — how he almost punched Scott after he threatened to leave the band.
Scott said: “I pinned one of the big cheeses at the record label up against his desk with my foot, crushing him into the wall, and said, ‘I will f***ing leave this band, you try and fing stop me’, with Simon Cowell trying to fight me off him.”
And Simon said: “We almost ended up in a fist fight. I was that close to punching him in the face.”
Scott added: “I’d lost my mind. They had to call security and carry me out of the building kicking and screaming like a f***ing wild dog.”
But Sean tells how Simon was key to the band’s success, which saw them bag 11 Top Ten singles, four Top Ten albums and a Brit Award for Best Pop Act in 2000.
Sean said of Simon’s ear for a hit song: “All he needed was the first chorus. He would just put it on, get to the end of the first chorus then follow his gut instinct and work the rest out later — he just knew from there, and just turned it off.”
But Scott revealed the boys could not help pranking Simon.
He said: “We were at the When The Lights Go Out video shoot and Simon was asked to move his Aston Martin DB7.
I said, ‘I’ll move it for you, Simon’, expecting him to say, ‘No’.
“But he chucks me the keys and I’m just meant to move it from here to there.
“So I took it over Putney Bridge in London and it literally took off — I am sure some of the wheels weren’t on the floor.”
If Simon comes to see the lads on tour, he may prefer not to bring along his motor.
Bizbit
SCOTT ROBINSON has revealed that he has a secret tattoo dedicated to the band.
He said: “I say I haven’t got a Five tattoo, but I have got a clock on my arm and the five is bigger than the rest of the numbers.
“It is just my little nod to the band.”
HERE are Five’s favourite songs to perform:
SEAN: “My default answer is always Keep On Movin’ because of the way the crowd reacts to it.”
ABZ: “I like a little funky bassline, so one of my favourites has always been If Ya Gettin’ Down. I can listen to just the instrumental of that and I am a happy boy.”
RITCHIE: “Everybody Get Up – because it rocks.”
JASON: “Slam Dunk (Da Funk) because it was our first tune and it just formed a lot of the sound of what we were about.
“There’s a lot of energy in it and I can’t wait to get on stage with these four and perform that song.”
SCOTT: “Human – we did a cover of The Human League.”
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JASON “J” BROWN confessed he grew a long beard like ZZ Top rocker Billy Gibbons during his years away from the showbiz limelight.
He said: “I did a few different things. I rented a farm in the middle of nowhere in Wales, living very quietly.
“I grew an enormous beard, like ZZ Top, and invested in frozen veg and ran my own market stall selling leather goods.
“People didn’t recognise me and I liked it. I needed time away.”
Now he’s back, J is chattier than ever.
SINGLE LADS READY TO MINGLE
AS Five head out on tour, three of the boys are single – and they admit they are open to finding love with a fan.
But Abz, Sean, and Jason have confessed that they draw the line at dating apps.
Asked if they will be flirting with women on the Keep On Movin’ Tour, Abz said: “No, straight to bed, no drinking, no nothing, no distractions, no woman, no nothing.”
But romance with a fan is not out of the question for the lads.
Sean said: “Would I date a human being that likes Five’s music? Why not?”
But Abz added: “I have not had the best encounters – you can’t rule anything out.”
Jason said: “I think one would have to gauge the person and see the person properly and engage with what they’re actually about.
“But not the kind of fan that’s gonna jump out the wardrobe every day and scream at me – that might be a bit weird.”
But Sean added: “I wouldn’t look for us on any apps.”
Then Abz suggested: “There is the Five official website if you want to get on that.”
Meanwhile Scott, who shares four children with his wife Kerry Oaker, said: “We have made a decision that J and Abz are gonna look after my kids so me and Kerry can go out on the raz.”
Sounds like the boys will be on babysitting duty instead…
NIKITA: GET BOYS DANCING
STRICTLY’S Nikita Kuzmin reckons ballroom dancing should be taught in schools – following the public’s reaction to hit series Adolescence.
The pro dancer says it teaches people how to “communicate” and how to show respect in relationships.
The Netflix show follows a 13-year-old boy who is arrested for murdering his female classmate, and explores the impact misogynist influencers have on young men.
Nikita, who is currently on his solo tour Midnight Dancer, said: “I haven’t seen the show, but I have heard a lot of things.
“Dancing in general is a great thing as it teaches you how to treat your partner, how to be a gentleman and how to communicate.”
CORR BLIMEY, THAT WAS GOOD
IT is 27 years since The Corrs first played at London’s Royal Albert Hall, on St Patrick’s Day.
But on Friday night, the Irish pop band – siblings Andrea, Caroline, Sharon and Jim Corr – proved they are still at the top of their game as they sold out the venue in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Of the venue, Andrea, right, said: “This place is very dear to our hearts – it was a pivotal moment in our career, we were a little bit younger than we are now.
“Our music was being put generally in the folk section of record stores – they didn’t really know where to put us, with the traditional Irish and pop-rock.
“Then that all changed because we capitalised on our Irishness, secured to play here [the Royal Albert Hall] on St Patrick’s Day 1998 and ended up being broadcast on the BBC. That changed our trajectory.”
She added of the band’s latest gig: “This is such an honour to play here tonight for this incredibly worthy cause that I know we all care so deeply about.”
They sent shivers down the spine with their hit Runaway, before ending the gig with an encore of Breathless.
If you missed out, be sure to catch The Corrs at the Isle of Wight Festival in June.
★★★★☆
MAD ON YOUR OUTFIT, DUA
HERE’S Dua Lipa giving Madonna a run for her money in a nude satin leotard.
The stunning singer looked to be channelling the Queen of Pop’s famous Nineties cone bra outfit as she took to the stage in Sydney on Friday night for her Radical Optimism Tour.
Dua was joined by Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker on stage for her second night in the city.
On Instagram, she wrote alongside a pic of the pair: “Last night I was joined on stage by my mega-talented Aussie mate and songwriting partnaaaa Tame Impala who has inspired me forever to sing The Less I Know The Better.”
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